Chest and pump hanger bracket for antiaircraft machine gun mounts



J. C. HAIRE Oct. 28, 1947.

CHEST AND PUMP HANGER BRACKET FOR ANTIAIRCRAFT MACHINE GUN MOUNTS Filed March 21, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fj: J

aamwwam Oct. 28, 194.7. J. c. HQAIRE- 2,429,618

CHEST AND PUMP HANGER BRACKET FOR ANTIA IRCRAFT MACHINE GUN MOUNTS Filed March 21, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,1 O H H1 29 28 :zmm 28 Patented Oct. 28, 1947 CHEST AND PUMP HANGER BRACKET FOR ANTIAIRCRAFT MACHINE GUN MOUNTS John C. Haire, Arp, Tex. Application March 21, 1945, Serial No. 584,024

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) 7 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to auxiliaries for ma chine guns, and particularly those which are required to traverse a wide arc.

The invention may be found useful for supporting various accessories and auxiliary apparatus of machine guns and has found most important value in the mounting of the water chest and pump of the current watercooled machine gun,

Heretofore it has been a practice to provide for cooling these guns by means of a portable reservoir or chest containing a moderate quantity of water and having fixed thereon a manually operated rotary pump connected with the reservoir and the gun in such manner that the water is circulated between the chest and water jacket of the gun.

The chest has been heretofore placed on the ground near the gun, the outlet of the pump being connected to the inlet of the jacket by one hose, and the water outlet of the jacket being connected to the reservoir by a water return hose.

In action, particularly against aircraft, the gun is sometimes rotated through more than 360 of traverse and in such event the hoses become bound around the gun mount and interfere with its combat use. Also the gunner and others of the gun crew who must follow the movements of the gun while attending the operation of the ammunition feed and ejecting mechanism, tend to stumble on or become entangled in the hoses.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide means whereby the chest may be mounted directly on the mount to move therewith as a unit, enabling the use of shorter hose, keeping the hose out of the way of the gun crew, and

permitting operation of the pump with greater ease. At the same time it is an advantage of the invention that it permits operation of the cooling system with unimpaired effectiveness.

A further aim of the invention is to present a simple and inexpensive means for connecting the support for the chest to the mount.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mount and gun equipped with my invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the bracket engaged with the pintle and sleeve of the cradle locking pin, and showing a part of the hanger,

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l with the chest removed.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the mount with the chest removed,

Figure 5 is a. fragmentary elevation of a modified hanger connection,

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line Ei5 of Fig. 5 in engaged position.

There is illustrated a form of mount for machine guns largely used and consisting of a pedestal ill of simple cylindrical form supported on removable legs II and having at its upper end a revoluble pintle or head [2 from which there extend upwardly two flat parallel rearwardly curved arms I3 upon which the gun 41 is pivoted on a horizontal axis for elevation in a well known manner. This mounting includes two cradle plates [4 pivoted on the upper parts of the arms 13 and having respective alined curved slots therein concentric with the pivot, a locking pin I5 being engaged through these slots through the arms l3 and through a looking pin sleeve i6 between the arms, and secured by a clamping nut ll having a handle 58, as shown.

A bracket i9 is mounted either removably or permanently on the pintle, this bracket consisting of a flat metal bar having an inner end bent upwardly and forwardly to form a curved bight 28 serving as a hook, engaged around the locking pin sleeve I6. The bill 29 of the bight is extended a distance parallel to the lower shank side 2i. The lower or shank side 2! of the bight extends forwardly horizontally a short distance and then is continued therefrom as at 2| forwardly and downwardly at such an inclination as to engage the head l2 of the pintle between the arms !3, from which location it projects radially and horizontally a short distance outwardly from the pintle, as a bracket arm 22. A heel 23 is thus formed at the base of the arm 22 resting upon the head of the pintle and forming the major support for the water chest bracket assembly. The extremity of the arm 22 is 'recurved upwardly and inwardly, forming a lip 24 spaced from the arm 22 slightly more than the thickness of the bar.

A basket-like, generally rectangular, receptacle 25 is provided, consisting of a central heavy hanger bar 26 formed of a fiat metal bar similar to that of which the bracket I9 is formed, although it may be somewhat thicker and broader if desired. The basket-like receptacle 25 includes the vertical part or hanger 2t and a horizontal middle bar 21 arranged radially in relation to the pedestal and having a number of cross bars 28, which may be of lighter material, secured thereto. The extremities of all the bars are turned upwardly to form short chest-retaining flanges 29. The space between the flanges and outwardly of the hanger 23 corresponds to the base dimensions of the water chest to be accommodated.

The upper end of the hanger 26 is curved rearwardly so as to pass over, and inwardly of, the lip 24, and recurved downwardly, forming a curved, hook-like bight 30, by which the hanger, basket and contents may be supported on the end of the bracket H). In order to prevent the hanger from rising from the bracket, the extremity of the hanger bight is bent inwardly thereunder at right angles forming a forwardly projecting tongue 3! which engages snugly under the lip 24.

In this instance the shaping of the lip, the bight 33 and tongue are such that a fairly snug fit and conformation of the abutting or mutually adj acent surfaces is formed, and under the weight of the basket and contents there is such binding and frictional co-engagement of the opposed faces that lateral displacement of the hanger from the bracket is prevented. At the lower part of the hanger a heel fork, flange or yoke 32 is fixed on the hanger 26, projecting horizontally toward the pedestal and having divergent arms 33 carrying respective rollers 34 on vertical pins set in the arms 33. The rollers are of such radius as to extend rearwardly beyond the arms 33, and engage the cylindrical surface of the non-rotating pedestal m for travel thereon when the basket and contents are rotated in traverse of the gun. This enables the use of comparatively light weight steel basket and hanger construction. While still adequately supporting the load contemplated.

The position and form of the bracket l9 and heel bracket 32 may be altered to adapt the device to other forms of pedestals as for instance the tripod mount, machine gun cal. 50 M3 mark 21 current. My heel bracket is adapted to avoid placing much of the load of the water chest on the ball bearing between the upper and lower I units of the pedestal by arranging the parts so that the rollers bear against the pedestal body belo the bearing and above the leg clamps.

Manner of use In the use of the invention as described, the mount and gun being assembled and ready for use otherwise, the bracket l9, separated from the hanger, may be put in place, or removed, without the use of tools and its emplacement is accomplished by raising the outer end of the bracket and inserting the bight 20 through the opening between the arms [3 until the bill 28 is in position to be drawn upwardly and forwardly over the sleeve 16 so as to engage the bight snugly therearound, after which the heel 23 of the bracket is lowered to the head l2 of the pintle. The basket and hanger are then brought to a position with the bight 33 and tongue 3| to one side of and alined with the space over and under the lip 24 and the hanger and basket moved into line with the bracket. The hanger and bracket parts are thus brought to the interlocking positions shown in Fig. .2, with the rollers 34 against and ready to travel on the pedestal. The water chest 58 may then be set in place in the basket receptacle 25, the flanges 29 holding it securely in place, the familiar pump crank 35 of the chest being exposed laterally of the gun as illustrat d, though this will conform to approved practice. The hoses 36 may be connected between the chest 58 and the Water jacket 49 of the gun 41 before or after placement of the chest 48 in the basket.

The bracket l 9 may be secured permanently on the mount if desired, or may be removed when the gun and mount are disassembled for transportation. In battle, the pump crank may be operated during continuous firing and during traverse of the gun, the crank man following the movement of the gun, and possibly assisting in the traverse when called on by the gunner. When necessary the gunner may call for clearance to permit rapid traverse movements, and the crank man may then for the moment leave position, resuming operation when convenient. Operation of the pump crank may also at other times be carried on between bursts of fire, momentary pauses in cooling circulation being safe and permissible.

The hoses are preferably of suflicient length to permit the chest to be set on the ground while connected, and to permit then the operation and traverse of the gun, in case of damage to the bracket, hanger or basket through enemy action or otherwise, in which event the basket and hanger may be removed and dispensed with, or repaired.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown a modification of the interlocking connection between the hanger and the bracket, in which the bracke l9 may be constructed as before in its inner part for engagement with parts of the mount, but the |3X- tremity of the bracket arm 22' somewhat modifled, as well as cooperating parts of the hanger. Here, the end portion of the bracket is bent at 31 upward at right angles and extended with a rearward curve 38, to a height slightly more than twice the thickness of the material of the hanger and is then bent abruptly rearwardly at 39 and extended downwardly as a planiform lip it, stopping short at the bracket arm 22 slightly more than the thickness of the hanger material.

The hanger bight 3H corresponding to the one 39 before-described, is correspondingly modified in form to lie snugly beside and over parts 38 and 39, including a downwardly inclined planiform tongue base d2 over the lip cs, recurved around the extreme edge of the lip as at 3 and extended as a tongue M at such angle to the tongue base 42 that when the latter is close to the lip 45 the tongue will rest on the bracket arm 22'. The length of the tongue 44 here is such that in pivotal movement of the hanger around the end of the lip 43- it clears the curved part 33 of the bracket, the latter being approximately concentric with an axis adjacent the extremity of the lip 48. The hanger 26 may have a, slight rearward offset as at 45 if desired to bring the Water chest as close to the axis of the pedestal as possible. On the extremity of the tongue G4, at opposite sides of the tongue, two depending lugs as are formed, arranged to engage beside opposite edges of the bracket arm 22' when the hanger is in lowered position, but short enough so that when the hanger is pulled outward at the lower part so as to elevate the extremity of the tongue at by pivotal movement of the hanger parts on a center adjacent the extremity of the lip 43, the lugs will clear the bracket arm 22' suiiiciently to permit lateral movement of the hanger from the bracket.

In the use of this modified connection the engagement or disengagement of the bracket and hanger connection is similar to that first described except that the basket and hanger are held inclined sufiicien-tly, approximately as shown in solid lines in Fig. 5, to permit the relative lateral movement of the lugs 46 through the bracket bight parts iii-46. Lowering of the hanger when alined with the bracket radially au tomatically locks the parts against accidental relative lateral displacement, and the combined two-directional movement is necessary to separate the two parts.

I have disclosed this invention with particularity in the best construction heretofore carried out or known to me, but it will be understood that this is purely exemplary and that modification of construction, arrangements, combinations of parts, substitution of materials and mechanical equivalents, or altering of method may be carried out without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims, wherein I claim:

1. A separable connection for brackets and hangers of the general character described consisting of a bracket having a projected arm bent upward and extended a distance approximating at least the thickness of the hanger element and a space for locking movement of a hanger tongue, and extended downwardly obliquely therefrom inwardly of the bracket a distance and a hanger having an upper end bent to overlie and conform to the last named bent parts of the bracket, and having a terminal further longitudinal extension bent under and extended to form a tongue to work pivotally between the bracket body and the base of said oblique part of the bracket, and said bracket and the extremity of the tongue being constructed to interlock at lower position of the tongue on the bracket.

2. In combination with a machine gun, a cooling jacket on said gun, a mount for the gun comprising a fixed pedestal and a head revolubly mounted thereon for supporting the gun, a reservoir for supplying coolant to the cooling jacket of the gun, and means forming a coolant passageway between the reservoir and the cooling jacket, means for attaching the reservoir to the head of the mount whereby it may be revolved with the gun comprising a bracket separably secured to the revoluble head, a basket member for receiving the reservoir secured to said bracket and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom whereby the reservoir is disposed beneath the gun and adjacent the pedestal, and bearing means for slidably supporting said basket member against said pedestal.

3. In combination with a machine gun, a cooling jacket on said gun, a mount for the gun comprising a fixed pedestal and a head revolubly mounted thereon for supporting the gun, a reservoir for supplying coolant to the cooling jacket of the gun, and means forming a coolant passageway between the reservoir and the cooling jacket, means for attaching the reservoir to the head of the mount whereby the reservoir is in a fixed position relative to the gun and may be revolved therewith comprising a bracket separably secured to the revoluble head, a basket member for receiving the reservoir secured to said bracket and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom with its base adjacent the pedestal, and bearing means for slidably supporting said basket member against said pedestal.

4. In combination with a machine gun, a cooling jacket on said gun, a mount for the gun comprising a fixed pedestal and a head revolubly I mounted thereon for supporting the gun, a reservoir for supplying coolant to the cooling jacket of the gun, and means forming a coolant passageway between the reservoir and the cooling jacket, means for attaching the reservoir to the head of the mount whereby the reservoir is in a fixed position relative to the gun and may be revolved therewith comprising a hooked member for releasably engaging the revoluble head, a basket member for receiving the reservoir secured to said hooked member and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom, and bearing means for per mitting the basket member to slidably abut against the pedestal.

5. In combination with a machine gun, a cooling jacket on said gun, a mount for the gun comprising a fixed pedestal and a head revolubly mounted thereon for supporting the gun, a reservoir for supplying coolant to the cooling jacket of the gun, and means forming a coolant passageway between the reservoir and the cooling jacket, means for attaching the reservoir to the head of the mount whereby the reservoir is in a fixed position relative to the gun and may be revolved therewith comprising a bracket resting on said revoluble head having a hooked portion for releasably engaging the head and an extended portion extending outwardly from the head, a basket member for receiving the reservoir secured to said extended portion of the bracket and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom with its base adjacent the pedestal and roller means between the basket member and the pedestal for permitting the basket member to freely revolve around the pedestal.

6. A separable connection comprising a bracket and a hanger element, said bracket comprising a projecting arm and an inverted V-shaped portion extending upwardly and inwardly from the end of said arm, and said hanger element comprising an upper end bent to overlie said inverted V- shaped portion of the bracket, an extension on said upper end constructed and arranged to rest on said bracket arm beneath said inverted V- shaped portion, and locking means for interlocking the said extension of the hanger element and the bracket arm.

7. A separable connection comprising a bracket and a hanger element, said bracket comprisin a projecting arm and an inverted V-shaped portion extending upwardly and inwardly from the end of said arm, and said hanger element comprising an upper end portion bent to overlie said inverted V-shaped portion and a tongue forming a juncture with said upper end portion constructed and arranged to rest on said projecting arm beneath said inverted V-shaped portion when said upper end portion overlies said inverted V-shaped portion whereby the hanger element may be pivoted at said juncture into and out of engagement with said bracket, and interlocking means for preventing relative lateral movement of the bracket and hanger member when the latter is pivoted into engagement with said bracket.

JOHN C. HAIRE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

